Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Columbia
Treating All Kinds of Adolescent Disorders
At Bloom Health Centers, we offer specialized diagnosis and treatment of mental, behavioral, and developmental disorders in children and adolescents in Columbia. Our youth-focused psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers are here to provide the right care for your child while also providing support for your entire family. Some of the conditions we diagnose and treat include:
- Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome
- Anxiety and Panic Disorder
- Bipolar Disorder
- Developmental Disorders
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Disruptive and Oppositional Disorders
- Learning Disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
- Substance Abuse – alcohol, street drugs
- Non-Suicidal Self-Harm Disorder
- Tourette’s Syndrome (and other tic disorders)
Studies have documented the rise in mental health problems among adolescents in the United States for years, and the pandemic brought on an even bigger need for mental health care for teenagers. Social media use has continued to increase and may be fueling the increases in anxiety and depression, among other disorders.
Anxiety and Depression in Teenagers
Approximately one in five adolescents reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety in the previous two weeks during a recent Teen National Health Interview Survey. Nearly as many teens reported symptoms of depression. Girls are twice as likely as boys to report feeling symptoms of anxiety and depression, which can come with many symptoms, including: feeling sad, hopeless, irritable, or restless, getting easily frustrated, lacking motivation, trouble with concentration, sleep difficulties, frequent headaches or stomach aches, or having heart palpitations.
If you are worried that your teenager is showing signs of anxiety or depression, do not hesitate to get them help. Let the staff at Bloom Health Centers in Columbia help your child navigate through the rocky waters of adolescence through psychiatric treatment. We will help them learn ways to cope with changes in a positive fashion.
ADHD In Adolescents
The diagnosis of ADHD should be made by the proper physician, such as a pediatric psychiatrist. There are a number of children and teens who are taking medications for ADHD that do not meet the diagnostic criteria for the condition, which can lead to negative consequences. Symptoms of ADHD in teens can include:
- Inability to finish assignments at school, work, or home
- Inability to pay attention during class
- Losing things easily
- Forgetting about school assignments or chores to be done at home
- Inability to stay organized
- Restless behavior—fidgeting or constantly moving
- Difficulty waiting their turn
- Inability to listen carefully or follow directions
- Talking too much
- Acting and speaking without thinking
Teenage Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Counseling
It can be easy to brush off teenage experimentation with alcohol and street drugs as a rite of passage, but substance abuse is not normal and needs to be addressed. Brief experimentation does not need treatment, but if your adolescent is regularly using alcohol or other drugs of abuse, you need to find help for them. Alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine (cigarettes, tobacco) use during teen years can affect development, and potentially lead to years of addiction and substance abuse as an adult. Other drugs of abuse such as fentanyl, opioids, cocaine, and methamphetamines are an even bigger problem that must be addressed immediately.
While drug and alcohol abuse might not seem like an issue that can be addressed with mental health treatment, there is in fact a lot we can do. Our Columbia psychiatrists and counselors will work with your child or teenager to acknowledge the dangers of substance abuse and learn better ways to deal with stress, anxiety, and depression.
Visit Us for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Columbia
Bloom Health Centers is the destination for child and adolescent psychiatry services in Columbia, MD. Our specially trained and board-certified psychiatrists can help with any mental illness or developmental problem your child may have. We help your entire family when appropriate, so that you will understand the problem and possess better ways to address poor behaviors. Parenting is hard enough, so do not ignore problems that we can help with. You do not need to know all the answers right away – just call us with your concerns. We can take it from there and help your child develop the best ways to tackle the challenges in their life.
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